Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2025
759. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health her plans to revise the national uptake targets for each medicine in the best value medicines programme; if so, the targets and the date she expects them to be met; the reasons for the targets not being met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56631/25]
View answer762. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of clinicians that continue to prescribe higher-cost originator medicines contrary to the HSE's best value medicines guidance; the measures which will be introduced to ensure adherence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56634/25]
View answer763. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will consider introducing sanctions for hospital groups that fail to meet best value medicines uptake requirements, or alternatively strengthening gain-share incentives to ensure the savings target is delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56635/25]
View answer765. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health the way in which the best value medicines programme contributes to reducing the financial burden on the HSE's medicines budget and assists in securing access for patients to new and innovative treatments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56637/25]
View answer766. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will report on the progress of the best value medicines programme in achieving its stated target of at least 80% of individuals being in receipt of the best value medicine; if she will provide a breakdown of uptake levels by each target area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56638/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 759, 762, 763, 765 and 766 together.
A record of over €3 billion, around €1 in every 8 of public funding spent on health, is now being spent on medicines. This is an unprecedented level of investment in supporting patients through the availability of the latest and wide range of medicines.
Sustainability remains a core priority for the Government. It is crucial, given high levels of expenditure growth across the health sector in recent years and the new challenging economic conditions, that medicines expenditure does not come at a cost to other health areas.
The State has made €158 million available for new drugs between 2021 and 2025. In 2025, the €30m made available for new drugs funding is to be generated through efficiencies to be identified by the joint DOH-HSE Medicines Sustainability Taskforce.
To date, this has allowed the HSE to approve 238 new drugs and new uses for existing medicines, including 97 medicines for treating cancer and 64 orphan drugs to treat rare diseases.
In August 2024, the HSE Senior Leadership Team approved the Overview of Medicines Funding Governance Processes. This document clearly articulates the governance processes for the funding of medicines in the HSE. It clarifies that the authority to approve the expenditure of funds on new medicines or new uses of existing medicines across the HSE is reserved solely to the HSE National Senior Leadership Team.
The Medicines Sustainability Taskforce is co-chaired by the Department of Health and the HSE. Membership includes representatives of the Department of Health, the HSE's Medicines Management Programme, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, the HSE's Primary Care Reimbursement Service, the HSE's Acute Hospitals Division, HSE Finance, and clinical experts. Under the direction of the Productivity and Savings Taskforce, it supports the HSE’s examination of medicines expenditure in the health service and to identify measures to maximise value from the resources within the medicines budget. The focus is on generating savings where possible and ensuring that the funding available provides the greatest level of access to medicines for as many patients as possible.
In line with the Productivity and Savings Taskforce targets, the Medicines Sustainability Taskforce aimed to achieve a minimum of €20m in savings in 2024 and this was exceeded by over €30 million.
Regular updates from the Medicines Sustainability Taskforce are published on the Department of Health website: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/collections/medicines-sustainability-taskforce/.
